BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that Shiv Sena is not Maharashtra and claimed that it was his party that worked to protect the identity of the state when he was in power for five years.
He also accused the Sena of labeling those who brought corruption charges against him as “Maharashtra-drohi” (anti-Maharashtra).
“No one becomes Maharashtra-drohi just because someone calls him that. When corruption allegations are brought against them, they call that person a Maharashtra-drohi, “Fadnavis said at a press conference.
He responded to a question about whether Shiv Sena was painting the BJP as Maharashtra-drohi in matters relating to actor Kangana Ranaut, Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, and Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik.
“It was the BJP that worked to keep Maharashtra’s identity intact when it was in power for five years … We made Maharashtra the number one state, surpassing Gujarat in terms of investments and I am proud to have been the prime minister ( at that time) ”, he added.
“The Shiv Sena must understand one thing that is not Maharashtra,” he added.
When asked about the allegations by the head of the NCP state unit, Jayant Patil, about the false voter registration before the upcoming elections of the graduate and teacher constituencies, Fadnavis said it means that the NCP leader has accepted defeat.
“There is no EVM, so he knows that if they face defeat, they cannot blame him. That is why he makes such claims, ”he said.
When asked about his support for the Uttar Pradesh ordinance on ‘love jihad and whether he believes it is possible in a progressive state like Maharashtra, he said:’ How can the law on love jihad be called regressive? The terms progressive and regressive are the perspective of individuals. I am amazed by Shiv Sena, who once took a strong position against ‘love jihad.’ “They wrote great editorials, they sought legislation against love jihad, but now they have taken a 180 degree turn,” he added.
Responding to a question about Prime Minister Uddhav Thackeray telling Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the ‘politicization’ of the COVID-19 situation in the state by the BJP, Fadanvis said: “It is a positive sign that the state government has taken knowledge of the BJP upheavals in the state. “
.
